Dental – WebMDhttp://webmd.cn
China's Premiere Medical PortalSat, 29 Jul 2017 12:52:43 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.7.5Dental tourism in Thailand – “Searching for Adventure, and Dentistry”http://webmd.cn/dental-tourism-thailand-searching-adventure-dentistry/
http://webmd.cn/dental-tourism-thailand-searching-adventure-dentistry/#respondMon, 13 Mar 2017 07:59:57 +0000http://webmd.cn/?p=785In a series of New York Times articles published this week entitled “Searching for Adventure, and Dentistry” and “Being a Savvy Medical Tourist While Enjoying a Vacation,” one American journalist chronicled her family’s trip to Thailand for dental tourism. Dental care in the United States According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), a relatively […]

Dental care in the United States

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), a relatively high percentage of Americans receive dental care on a regular basis:

Percent of children aged 2-17 with a dental visit in the past year: 84.7% (2015)

Percent of adults aged 18-64 with a dental visit in the past year: 64.0% (2015)

Percent of adults aged 65 and over with a dental visit in the past year: 62.7% (2015)

Yet according to 2014 data from the National Association of Dental Plans, 114 million Americans lack dental insurance, rendering the cost of receiving regular dental care in the United States quite expensive.

There were already more than 29,000 dental care delivery organizations in China in 2014, generating revenue equivalent to more than USD $4.4 billion according to an 2016 KPMG report entitled “Commercial Opportunities in the Dental Care Market in China.” At the market’s current growth rate, it’s estimated there will be more than 42,000 dental care delivery organizations by 2020.

However, today’s Chinese market remains plagued by a shortage of skilled practitioners and access to quality care. For example, despite strong growth in the number of registered dentists in China, the country only averaged one dentist per 10,000 people in 2013. Additionally, because of this shortage of dentists, as well as a lack of widespread dental insurance, receiving regular dental care in the People’s Republic of China is also quite expensive.

Dental tourism in Thailand

Many of the doctors and dentists at respected hospitals and clinics in places like Thailand have (i) trained in western countries like Australia, the United Kingdom or the United States, (ii) speak English and (iii) are internationally accredited.

Moreover, many Thai dental clinics specializing in international patients make it easy to get estimates and make appointments online. In addition to locking in costs and appointments, patients should be sure to ask how much time is needed for the work to be done, as well as recovery.

The New York Times’ journalist found that in addition to saving on overall procedure costs (for root canal therapy), she was also able to opt for higher-quality, longer-lasting materials in Thailand, rather than the lesser options that she would have been limited to back in the United States.

According to Dental Departures (an international dental tourism company that matches customers with clinics):

Thailand boasts some of the largest and most modern dental hospitals in the entire world. Tens of thousands of dental tourists have been successfully treated by expert dentists in a tropical locale. Most frequent visitors: Australians, Americans, Canadians, New Zealanders. Some of Thailands top rated clinics include Bangkok International Dental Center and Sea Smile Dental Clinic in Phuket.

]]>http://webmd.cn/dental-tourism-thailand-searching-adventure-dentistry/feed/0Mouthwash and poor dental hygiene may increase the risk of oral cancerhttp://webmd.cn/mouthwash-dental-hygiene-oral-cancer/
http://webmd.cn/mouthwash-dental-hygiene-oral-cancer/#respondFri, 11 Apr 2014 07:41:54 +0000http://webmd.cn/?p=555A recent study suggests that poor dental hygiene and excessive use of mouthwash containing alcohol could increase the risk of oral cancer. The study, published in the journal Oral Oncology is based on European research conducted by the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology with help from Glasgow University’s Dental School. Each year more […]

]]>A recent study suggests that poor dental hygiene and excessive use of mouthwash containing alcohol could increase the risk of oral cancer. The study, published in the journal Oral Oncology is based on European research conducted by the Leibniz Institute for Prevention Research and Epidemiology with help from Glasgow University’s Dental School.

Listerine, one of the most well-known brands of mouthwash, has one of the highest percentages of alcohol.

Each year more than 640,000 people worldwide are diagnosed with oral cancer, which can occur in the tongue, the floor of the mouth, the gum and the cheek. Oral cancer is the largest group of those cancers which fall into the head and neck cancer category. The largest risk factors for oral cancer are tobacco and alcohol. Other potential risk factors are more difficult to link causally to oral cancer, because people who smoke and/or drink also tend to neglect dental hygiene.

In mouthwash, alcohol is usually the primary carcinogen of interest, and there is no known harm from non-alcohol-containing mouthwashes. Listerine is one of the most well-known brands of mouthwash, and also has one of the highest percentages of alcohol with 21% – 26.9%. Colgate mouthwash has a lower alcohol content than Listerine, but still contains 15.3% alcohol, which is more than most bottles of wine. The potential risks associated with the alcohol content of mouthwash have prompted many manufacturers (including Listerine and Colgate) to release alcohol-free varieties. Note: the association between mouthwash and oral cancer was only significant when looking at very frequent use (three times a day) — very few people used mouthwash so frequently, thus the risk estimate is consequently less reliable.

As part of a good dental hygiene regimen, regular trips to the dentist can not only reduce the risk of oral cancer, but also potentially aid in the early detection thereof through oral cancer screening, which is usually available from dentists but seldom ordered by patients.